The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 23, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

For her debut, Hatch weaves a comical tale of Halloween delight with “The House That Jack Built” overtones. A timorous mouse observes the nocturnal activities of various creatures from within the sequestered safety of a jack-o’-lantern. Designed as a cumulative tale, Hatch’s descriptive one-line verses introduce an assortment of various critters that populate the night, from a swooping bat to a costumed trick-or-treater laden with the evening’s bounty. Hatch builds reader’s anticipation, keeping her prose simple enough to retain a preschooler audience’s attention. The tale’s dénouement occurs when an over-eager pup knocks the child over, spilling the spoils—much to the pleasure of the mouse. Pickering’s characteristic illustrations are pure fun. Deep pigments coat the full-bleed spreads, conveying the spooky thrills of this much-favored holiday. Wacky perspectives and silly details keep the pictures on the playful side of thrilling. Hatch’s tale of Halloween shenanigans makes a nice addition to the seasonal book shelf. (Picture book. 3-6)

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